


Hunting the Hunter

by HeroHikara



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bard Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Cid being sassy, Destruction of the Magitek Reaper mount, Elezenos not Elidibus in the Prince Skinsuit, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Male Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Miqo'te Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), More Tags as More Things Happen, Multi-Classed Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Poor Life Choices, Post-Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood, Stealing an Airship, White Mage Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), WoL being Sassy, idiots to lovers, m - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2019-10-15 21:22:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17536517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeroHikara/pseuds/HeroHikara
Summary: Any soldier with some knack for trickery could throw on enemy garments and steal it right out from under the guard’s nose. Especially if that guard’s nose wound up split from their face by a blade. It was that detail keeping Hero’s mind fixated on who he thought his prey was.Prey, Gods above, he was starting to do it too.Or:In which the Warrior of Light tries to find Elezenos before he becomes either a bigger problem or kicks his bakery door down looking to fight him again.





	1. Break a leg, Hero

Hero didn’t know if these were clues being left behind or a vain attempt by his mind to link together incidents that honestly were unrelated. A roegadyn guard butchered by a single stroke of a blade, a missing magitek built for a single pilot, whispers of a katana wielding resistance member living in solitude up in the peaks. All these added up to a single name that burned in the back of the Miqo’te’s mind like a fire that refused to go out. 

 

Zenos.

 

Gods that named burned on his tongue, keeping him from spitting it out as Lyse gave him the task to hunt down the missing magitek and question whoever had stolen it. “Please Hero, if it’s still working and in the hands of someone who knows how to be deadly with it? I don’t know how much chaos it could cause. There are still villages with no defenses, people who are struggling to rebuild. You have to find it, you have to find whoever stole it.”

 

He gave a stoic nod, pretending that it could be anyone. To be honest, it really could have been anyone. Any soldier with some knack for trickery could throw on enemy garments and steal it right out from under the guard’s nose. Especially if that guard’s nose wound up split from their face by a blade. It was that detail keeping Hero’s mind fixated on who he thought his prey was.

 

Prey, Gods above, he was starting to do it too. All it took was some between-calamity boredom and he’d give anything to have an excuse to pick a fight to keep from getting rusty. Maybe that was why he’d been so quick to accept him. It was certainly why he was taking Maggie to Cid to make sure she was all prepared and ready to go for a trip to the Peaks to hunt down the magitek thief. “I figure if it was stolen by a surviving Imperial troop, hearing a magitek armour might draw them out of hiding. Familiarity of sound, y’know?”

 

“Not the worst idea you’ve had.” Cid snorted a bit as he checked the legs for show of wear and tear, weak joints, sand in the mechanism, anything that’d cause trouble if not dealt with.

 

“You of all people do not get to harp on me about bad ideas.” As Cid got to work he leaned against a table, trying not to smirk as the older man brought out his wrench to start working his magic.

 

“So how did you plan to escape the Vundu with a shivering knee’d noble boy again?”

 

“Explain to me what would have happened if Bismark ate the island?”

 

“So! She’s all ready for you, Hero! Take care to keep her out of dust storms and keep an eye on her power reserves.”

 

“Yup, loud and clear, thanks Cid.” Hero pushed off with a single elbow, reaching up to climb into the reaper’s chair. “Hopefully this idea works better than most of ‘em.” Like the current one of riding a Magitek Reaper around an area filled with people still suffering the effects of Garlean occupation, thankfully the way to the peaks was a short trip from the impromptu workshop Cid and Jessie had set up during the Omega crisis.

 

Honestly at this point Hero needed a new damn journal just to keep all his crises straight. Perhaps find someone willing to write his biography, if they could put up with his big mouth for more than half a bell each moon. Or peel back the bullshit and exaggerations in his storytelling method. The miqo’te was a bard at heart, and he accepted all that came with it. Including the little white lies that spiced up a story like oh so much cinnamon in a mug of cocoa.

 

Right. Ishgard, he needed to check on Dragonhead at some point. Hero’s mind began to wander as he took to the skys to look for the tell tale signs of wilderness survival. He couldn’t help it, even when trying to focus on a task all the other obligations slipped in and out of his thoughts like waves on the beach. There for a moment before receding into the tide of his mind.

 

It’s why he only caught a glimpse of what looked like an Elezen in a Resistance outfit before something took out the flight mechanism in his mech with alarming precision. Leaving him crashing to the ground in a heap of metal and bruises. “Fuck mothering son of a- MAGGIE!” His Echo didn’t even have time to alert him to danger before he’d been shot down, that was the only thing keeping him on edge now as he scrambled out of the reaper to assess the damages.

 

Well, tried to.

 

Hero fell ungracefully from the seat, landing with no small amount of hisses and groans of pain. “Knew my legs would catch up with me someday…” He could barely keep the curses off his lips as he examined the one leg giving him pause, months of jumping off cliffs instead of taking the smart way down culminating in what was probably a fracture from crashing into the earth at a low altitude inside a screaming metal death trap.

 

The presence was gone now, and he was alone and injured in the peaks with the sound of some hungry beasts not too far off. “Sorry Mags- Cid’ll come get you in a bit okay? I’ve gotta get out of here before somethin’ hungry finds me.” He’d teleport back to the reach and have someone else pilot the mech home while he abused magic to deal with his injury. Likely getting an earful from whoever was on staff at the medic’s tent.

 

It took a solid week before they allowed him back out to search again.

 

“No I’m pretty sure I saw an Elezen, had the ears, y’know? Hard to miss on a uniform like the Resistance one.” Hero pulled his own ears as close horizontal as he could get for emphasis, letting go only when Lyse frowned softly. “Listen, I don’t know if they’re an Imperial officer or just someone hoping to make a quick sack of coin off the sale of Imperial tech, but whoever they are? They weren’t fooled by my mech and they’re damn accurate.”

 

“Are you sure you can handle this assignment, Hero? I can try to get more people on it. I think we might have the resources to send out a scouting party. The others would kill me if anything worse happened to you on my orders…” He did admire one thing about her, she had as much of a filter as he did. Meaning usually what came out of her mouth was exactly how she felt with little to no attempts at sugar coating or double-speak. If she was trying to pull him out because she was suspicious he had ulterior motives? She’d be more obvious.

 

Odds were good the blond really was only concerned for his safety, “Listen, Lyse. I underestimated him once, but he’s one guy. It won’t happen again.” It being a clean slice through the metal hull of his reaper, as if someone powerful had taken a blade to it. Hero knew better, the style only confirmed his own thoughts. The miqo’te knew one man powerful enough to slice clean through metal with sheer wind pressure alone at such a large distance.

 

Except Hero wasn’t the beast this time, he wasn’t prey. He was the hunter, and Zenos was a wounded animal he needed to find. Fast.


	2. Birds and Bad Ideas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Who do you think you’re trying to find?”
> 
> Hero could feel his ears flatten to his head, his tail slip down between his legs as Cid half-interrogated him. “A survivor. Scared, confused, alone, and really needing a friend.”
> 
> Or
> 
> In which Hero drags his poor battle Chocobo into this disaster despite several people telling him not to.

Cid caught him saddling his chocobo later that evening, replacing her bright yellow Twin Adder barding with a darker cloth-based barding meant more for stealth. His bird kept trying to root through his pack for snacks and Hero kept waving her off, “C’mon girl work with me! We’ll never get going at this rate- I promise I’ll feed you once you let me put your saddle on.”

 

“Are you sure that you want to risk her, Hero?” Cid brushed a hand through his hair as he looked at the pair, one barely recovered cat and his midnight blue bird. “We need to talk about what you did to Maggie, her flight servo was sliced clean through but I can’t tell what did it. There’s no melting to indicate a laser-based weapon, and a bullet wouldn’t leave a gash like that. It’s like someone took a blade to her hull right where it needed to go to ground you.”

 

“That’s why I’ve left her in your care, Cid, y’know I can pay you for the repairs-” Hero tried to give the older man an easy going smile, but it was clear the Chief wasn’t having it.

 

“That isn’t the problem and you know it, Hero.” Muscled armed crossed as pale white eyes bore into the raven haired scion, the mechanic was looking at a puzzle and trying to put the pieces together. “You’re looking for someone deadly and it’s clear you don’t want anyone else to do it, but I don’t think it’s because you’re trying to keep Lyse’s men out of danger.”

 

“I don’t care why you think I’m doing it.” That didn’t stop Hero from quickly turning back to Sunny’s saddle, nudging her away from his bag again with an elbow as he tried to finish buckling it in place. “Believe what you want to believe, but I’ve got it under control. That’s why I’m flying under cover of night, I’m taking Sunny here because she’s got dark feathers and is a lot less noisy than Maggie. Nearly silent when I’m in descent. Yeah I changed her metal armors for cloth but that’s to make less noise y’know? I’ll look for camps, fires from up high, once I’ve got a visual I’ll drop. Sunny’s a top notch flyer and she’s my battle ‘bo, I think we can get close enough for me to talk to him-”

 

“Who do you think you’re trying to find?”

 

Hero could feel his ears flatten to his head, his tail slip down between his legs as Cid half-interrogated him. “A survivor. Scared, confused, alone, and really needing a friend.”

 

“A normal survivor wouldn’t kill a guard and make off with a Magitek Sky Armor. Who are you really hoping to find?”

 

“Someone who needs me.” He finishes getting Sunny ready and pulls a whole head of gysahl greens from his bag. “Here you go, greedy brat. I told you I’d feed you didn’t I? C’mon now, eat up… We have a lot of ground to cover before dawn.”

 

“For your sake I hope he’s more willing to talk this time. What makes you think he’d be willing to talk to you if he’s hostile towards the Resistance and towards magitek pilots?”

 

“I don’t, but I have a habit of getting past people’s personal walls. Maybe I can get past his too.” Hero gives Cid one last smile as he pulls himself up onto Sunny’s saddle, “Tell Jessie to send the bill to my bakery, kay? Let’s go girl!” Sunny didn’t need to be told twice, racing out the gate with no question before taking off into the night sky.

 

Hero knew it was rude to just abandon Cid there, but he hadn’t been able to think of a better answer and the longer the mechanic kept asking, the closer Hero knew he was to saying Zenos’ name. If he let that slip then everything would come crashing down around him. Cid would tell Lyse, Lyse would tell Raubahn, both would think he’d turned traitor and Hero wasn’t sure he’d be able to fast talk his way out of that mess.

 

No, it was better he handle this solo- his way. Zenos had called Hero his first friend, and Hero wanted to earn that title. “I accepted him, right? We didn’t have to fight, I was willing to talk. I was willing to listen, but he just wanted to fight. Sunshine, you’re wiser than me, why would he insist when I was willing to put away my bow and just chat with him?” Of course she didn’t answer, but it made Hero feel slightly less crazy to talk to his bird than to talk to himself. “He did it to himself, why am I the one who feels guilty?”

 

Of course his bird didn’t answer beyond a high-pitched “Kweh” as she flew him about, scanning the wilderness for signs of life.

 

Three hours in he was singing just to keep his eyes open, “-Six bottles o’ ale, seven bottles o’ bottles of ale. Don’t throw your trash in my backyard, my back yaaahhhhold.” Sunny stopped midair as Hero pulled a spyglass from his bag, using it to check on a small camp he’d almost missed thanks to it being half-concealed by a barely scalable ridge. “Single body, tall, gods the Resistance wear such an ugly shade of yellow… Says the Twin Adder who refuses to wear any grand company gear for the same reason.” He takes a deep breath, “Alright girl, this is it. Ready to do or die?” The words felt slightly more ominous considering if he fell here there was a rather long drop below. Rocks, rapids, and death were the only things awaiting him there. “If y’see his sword flash, get ready to dodge. See if you can land safely- if not I’ll jump off and whistle for you if he pushes me off. Kay girl? Let’s go.”

 

At his words Sunny circled around once to gain some speed before diving at the figure on the cliff, Hero holding tight to her back as if this was just another race at the saucer instead of a gamble against death itself. As he got closer though, the tall figure’s head whipped around to face him. “Get ready girl.” He saw the flash of the blade, but this time no attempt was made to down him. This time it was merely a warning. Hero wasn’t sure what stilled the Elezen’s hand until he had landed and dismounted. “I was expecting you to cut me d-” The words stuck tight in his throat as his echo went off again, leaving Hero’s back to the cliff wall as a blade pressed to his throat. Sunny was making a fuss beside him but all he could do was wave her down. “Easy there, both of you. Sunny, hold.”

 

“Why are you following me?” The voice was low but it didn’t have the same dark edge to it that Hero was expecting, it sounded more tired.

 

“Do you want the official reason or do you want my personal reason?” He gave the tall stranger the same easy going grin he’d given Cid, letting his eyes search the other man’s face before finally resting at his eyes. His brilliantly blue intense eyes. “Gods you have pretty eyes.”

 

It was just enough for the mystery swordsman to pull his blade away and turn back towards the fire. “Leave me alone, I’ll only ask nicely once.”

 

“In my experiences, asking nicely usually involves magic words like please and thank you. That, my friend, was an order.”

 

“Then I order you to leave.”

 

“Shame I don’t take orders from anyone who isn’t a head shorter than me and prone to rambling about politics.” Hero couldn’t help but smile a little as he walked closer, slowly, making sure to keep his palms open and try to look as non-threatening as the warrior of light possibly could be. “I’m looking for a Magitek thief, male Elezen, carries a sword, wearing Resistance armor… I think he might be a friend of mine, in a bad spot, and I want to help him out.”

 

“I’m no friend of yours.” The elezen sat beside the fire, and as he sat down Hero could finally see what looked like a very large sky armor shaped rock covered in green cloth on the other side of him.

 

“... Did you really try covering it with a blanket to make it less noticeable while camping on a ridge you can only safely get to by flying here?”

 

“At least you’re more perceptive than you are intelligent.”

 

“I’m pretty enough to not have to be smart.” Hero took another head of greens from his bag and set it down for Sunny as he moved to sit by the Elezen man. “Your eyes remind me of my friend. They were intense too, intense and searching, and empty. Lemme guess, you’re a normal Garlean conscript defecting from the army now that your boss is dead?”

 

That seemed to get at least half a smile from the man, “No one will miss me, I’ll be another soul lost to your rampage through the castle. The monster of Garlemald is dead and rotting, if I had the chance I’d spit on his corpse.”

 

“I wouldn’t.” Hero brought his knees to his chin, taking his eyes off the Elezen to stare into the dancing flames. “I miss him. Honestly I feel like I failed him, like I could have been the friend he wanted. From one monster to another.”

 

“You think you’re anything like him?”

 

“What kind of man slays gods like it’s a hobby, cripples armies without remorse, and hunts the monsters parents whisper warnings about to their children for fun? He called me friend, I accepted him because I knew we were similar, and before I got the chance to properly get to know him? He was gone, and I couldn’t stop it, I couldn’t save him.” Hero’s nails began to scratch at the seam of his pants, fiddling with the fabric idly as he thought about it. “I can never save the people who need me most.”

 

The man beside him made a strained noise, enough to turn Hero’s head as he watched a strikingly familiar scene. A hand raising to cradle a face twisted in the pain of what Hero could only assume was a sudden migraine. As if responding to his emotional pain. When it was over the Elezen whispered softly, muttering under his breath before reaching over to grab Hero by the collar, yanking him off his feet as the Elezen man stood. “Stay away from me. I don’t want this. Keep your emotions to yourself!”

 

“Wait-” Rough hands guided him back to his bird, almost tripping over himself. “Stop!” It looked like the echo, but the man’s eyes had gone black and red for just a second before returning to blue. “Zenos listen to me!”

 

For a moment the only sound was the wind whistling through the ravine below them, “I told you, the monster of Garlemald is dead. Let him rest.”

 

“Easy for you to say. Did you know you’re not in your grave anymore?”

 

“What?” Zenos’ grip loosened just enough for Hero to pull away and stand tall again.

 

"Your corpse isn't where we buried it. The grave was disturbed and according to intercepted Garlean transmissions you have recovered from your injuries and are getting ready to step back into the field as a commander." Hero took his stunned silence as a hint to keep talking, “There’s an Ascian wearing your skin like an old coat, and if you trust them to lead your army in your place? Fine by me, I’ll cut them down all the same, but you? You called me your friend, and now I’m here to prove it. So tell me Zenos, will you accept me?” Hero offered his hand, partially to give Zenos the chance to give a non-verbal affirmation.

 

Partially because he remembered Zenos making the same gesture to him when they stood opposite each other in the gardens.

 

“You’re making a mistake.” 

 

“No, Z, I told you I accepted you before. You told me if circumstances were different we could while away the hours as confidants, well things have changed but my answer hasn’t. I want to be your friend, if you’ll have me.” 

 

Those blue eyes narrowed, searching his face for any sign of betrayal and after a long moment Zenos’ hand came up to take Hero’s without a word. He grasped tight, as if Hero would vanish the moment he let go. “If you make me regret this I will end you.”

 

“Zenos, first rule of working with the warrior of light, everyone regrets knowing me at some point. Trust me. I’m a lightning rod in a storm of bad ideas. I mean, I’m here, aren’t I?”

 

The corner of his friend’s mouth twitched a bit before a soft chuckle slipped out, “Fair enough. What’s the plan?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Hero's Midnight Blue Chocobo is named "Sunny." She's named for my first vehicle, a Pontiac Sunfire...
> 
> A cherry red Pontiac Sunfire.
> 
> So no, it still makes no sense but Hero will defend her name to the death.


	3. Getting to know you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> By now the back and forth was feeling almost comfortable. They'd fallen into a pattern of 'ask a question, answer a question' in an odd game of getting to know each other.
> 
> “It was not a bustle!” Zenos had seemed offended at the very thought, “It may have been a bit over-the-top but I did like how my armor looked. I thought it made me seem more imposing. Larger than life, as it were.”
> 
> “Z, you’re twice my size. How much larger did you need to be?”
> 
> Or
> 
> In which these two idiots talk about themselves and their feelings all night long because this has officially become the star's weirdest slumber party.

Turns out the plan was much more complicated than Hero anticipated.

Namely because Hero and Zenos alike kept getting stuck on the question of “Where to go from here?” 

“We can’t take the fight directly to Garlemald. For starters, I’m a damned Miqo’te and you’re an Elezen. Neither of us have a third-eye as you oh-so-grumpily explained to me in full on rant mode.” Hero’s ear flicked in annoyance as he saw the other’s nostrils flare in preparation for another rant about Garlean biology.

“You asked what good my third eye was, I told you. It’s a sensory organ. It’d be like you trying to adjust to losing your sense of space. Vertigo, nausea, loss of depth perception- do you know how hard it was for me to simply stand up and walk after I woke up in this body in the infirmary?”

“Three days, as you’ve explained six times already.” Three but Hero knew if he let Zenos keep talking the prince would ramble for another hour. It was already dawn and neither of them had slept a wink. At first the conversation started out light, both men trying to get to know their new companion. Hero asked Zenos if he really hadn’t had a friend before and Zenos grudgingly reminded Hero that having real friends was difficult when you’re in the line of succession for an entire empire. Meanwhile Zenos asked Hero some rather delightedly pointed questions, namely which parent was clearly on drugs when they named him.

“The short version? I’m half Doman and half Seeker. From the H-tribe. The Doman parent named me, the Miqo’te parent spelled it.”

“None of the reports refer to you as H’ero Tia.” Hero had been sure Zenos saw the cringe pass over his features, “Doesn’t Ero mean pervert?”

“Okay. The name dad wanted to give me was Hiro Hikara, H-I-R-O. My mother tried to call me H’ero Tia, my father- due to reasons you just explained, told her hell no. He refused to drop the H from my name and insisted he wouldn’t let her erase his family lineage from my name as well. She got to spell it so He got to give me a real last name. There was fighting involved but yeah- that’s how you wind up with a stupid name like mine. I get to ask the next question.” He tossed another log into the fire as he tried to come up with something interesting. By now the back and forth was feeling almost comfortable. They'd fallen into a pattern of 'ask a question, answer a question' in an odd game of getting to know each other.

“It was not a bustle!” Zenos had seemed offended at the very thought, “It may have been a bit over-the-top but I did like how my armor looked. I thought it made me seem more imposing. Larger than life, as it were.”

“Z, you’re twice my size. How much larger did you need to be?”

“Ah- it’s my question now, Hero. Tell me- why would the Warrior of Light mourn a foe?”

“I- it’s complicated.”

“I answered your questions thus far. Shouldn’t you respect me enough to answer mine?” 

Zenos’ smirk when he saw the guilt flash on Hero’s face didn’t exactly inspire him to answer the question, but he sat up and took a deep breath anyway. “Do you have any idea how much I’ve thought about you since the Royal Garden?” Hero began massaging his temples as he looked across the fire at the blond Elezen before him. “I kept replaying that night in my mind, a little bit faster, a little bit more prepared. Better spoken, I don’t know. Some nights it played out the same, I saw blood, I saw you go limp. I heard your last words and felt empty. Some nights you stopped.” His smile grew faint as blue eyes stared into the dance of the light. “Allowed Lyse and Alphinaud to take you alive. You didn’t look at them, only me. You held my gaze the entire time, our eyes didn’t part for a moment.”

In response to stunned silence, Hero kept talking, trying to fill the void between them with words. “One night I stopped them from taking you too. I don’t know what I was thinking that night, but I’d been at the bottle a bit. Lyse went to grab you and I stopped her, told her you were mine to deal with. I guess I felt possessive that night?” His shoulders bounced in a semblance of a chuckle, “We’re a fair pair, aren’t we? An obedient beast and a feral hunter.” Concern knit his brows together, eyes lifting from the flames to meet Zenos’ once more. “I can sense the echo in you like I sense it in Fordola- it feels twisted and sick. Are you alright?”

“You’re serious.” The prince seemed stunned for a moment and Hero assumed it was because the prince still considered him an enemy. Why trust someone who had literally attempted to kill you when you hadn’t been able to trust anyone else before either? “You want to know if I’m alright?”

“Yes, or I wouldn’t have wasted a question on it.” 

“Fair enough, no, I am not alright.” Zenos was at least honest enough to admit it, Hero himself would have lied through his teeth with a smile on his face. “I haven’t been alright since my childhood. The Resonant only makes it worse. Emotions come and go so fast I can’t keep up. I was used to not feeling anything, to being empty, cold. Now I feel everything from everyone and I want it to end. I want control over my own emotions back. How do you deal with it?”

“I’ve been dealing with it since I was a teenager. Mine isn’t as sensitive as yours, I mostly have danger-sense and some emotional insight, I don’t get full on bursts like you do very often. Maybe it’s easier because I’m an emotional person? I can’t imagine going from feeling nothing to feeling everything.”

“I think I regret everything about the Resonant experiment, nothing turned out how I planned it. The only thing it did was allow me to control an already mindless primal.”

“Mindless?”

“It was a being of raw pain and suffering, not even a real God, just the manifestation of all the hate of everyone who died that day bound in a single package. I could control it because it didn’t think, it just wanted to destroy. I just wanted to destroy everything, and ultimately I wanted to be stopped- by you.” Another soft chuckle, this time of defeat. “I knew you were the Eikon slayer. I wanted you to slay me, fight me, end me. I wanted you to stop me, I never expected you to hold back enough to let me live. Where did you learn that kind of control?”

“You’re not the first, her name was Ysayle and she summoned a Goddess of her own creation. Saint Shiva. I knew if I exhausted Shinryu I’d be able to free you from it, I just wasn’t expecting what you did next.”

As the night wore on Hero went from sitting upright properly to half-laying on the ground as he watched Zenos through the firelight. This almost felt normal. As normal as circumstances allowed at least. Even if Hero was prone to shifting his position every so often while Zenos seemed content to sit cross legged on the ground without showing signs of exhaustion or boredom. If Hero had to wager a guess he’d say the other man was fascinated by the fidgeting Miqo’te across from him. Those intense blue eyes followed his hands when Hero gestured as he spoke, no matter what his gestures were. On his grave he’d swear that Zenos had even cracked a genuine smile or two when Hero made some of the ruder ones when asked about his opinion of being praised as the savior of Eorzea.

“Okay, back to the matter at hand.” Hero forced himself to sit up just as the sun began to rise, “I can’t bring you back to the Reach. Lyse would be ten kinds of suspect if I did. I can almost hear it in her voice.” He cleared his throat to try speaking in a higher pitch in a vague imitation of Lyse’s accent and speech pattern, “So I sent you out to track down a sword-wielding Elezen in Resistance armor who stole a Garlean Sky Armor, and you returned with a sword-wielding Elezen who you swear up and down is not the man we’re looking for? Hero do you really have no faith in me? Do you think I’m that stupid?”

“Do you?”

The drop back to his regular pitch came easily to the bard, “That’s not the point, Lyse may not be the sharpest person I know but I’m not the smartest person I know either. I get outwitted by a friggen’ twelve year old too proud to wear a coat the whole week we were in Coerthas looking for Cid’s airship.” Hero groaned softly one hand reaching up to tug at one of his braids as he thought things through. “We can’t go to Garlemald and tell your dad what happened, he’d never believe us and I’d be executed for being me. We can’t tell Lyse because obvious reasons. This would be a wonderful time for Alphinaud to have an idea but he’s in a bloody coma with the rest of the smart Scions and I have no idea who to talk to!”

“You really have no one who would trust you at your word without flinching or panicking at what needs to be done?”

“I used to,” Now it was Hero’s turn for a faint and sad smile to tug at the corners of his lips, “but he’s long gone now.” 

“Well it isn’t like I have any options without you, I’d be perfectly happy fading into a life as an ordinary adventurer at this point. You’re the one insisting we have to stop an Ascian plot and save the whole star.” Those blue eyes were almost cold as they looked at Hero’s distress with a hint of distaste.

Hero couldn’t meet those eyes anymore, his head hanging slightly as he glared at the ground below him. “Because it’s what I do. I fix things, it’s my job. I just wish I didn’t have to do it alone.”

“It sounds like you need a vacation.”

“I can’t just vanish, Zenos, I’m the Warrior of Light and one of the few scions left standing. I have duties, obligations, hell I own a bakery in Ul’dah that I need to go back to at some point!”

“You own a bakery? How do you even find the time for that?”

“It’s what I do between saving the world, I bake.” He paused for a moment, tail flicking back and forth, “I can take you to my bakery. We’re not in Ul’dah proper, we’re actually more like in the adventurer’s residential district of Thanalan in a place called the Goblet. My workers are from all walks of life and they basically trust my very poor judgement. We can go there and get you dressed in something that isn’t- well… That. Maybe Jacque has some clothes in your size…”

“Jacque?”

“The guy who manages the shop and is head chef when I’m not around. Elezen from the Brume once accused of slipping arsenic into his boss’ food. Turns out it was the guy’s wife and he has an aversion to almond extract because of it but that’s less important. He can help you act like a reasonably passable native Ishgardian Elezen so we can fake a backstory for you until we need to tell everyone you’re actually the Crown Prince’s soul in a different body because the Resonant is more bullshit than the echo!”

“How can you be this excited for someone who hasn’t slept all night? I’m barely keeping my eyes open at this point.” Even though Hero didn’t think Zenos looked tired at all, maybe a touch sad but he did seem depressed. Hero couldn’t fix depression, but he could at least be there like a friend should.

“I- I don’t sleep much, I haven’t since I got the echo. I think it keeps me functioning at bare-minimum? I’ve managed to stay awake for three straight days before my body started protesting to the point of physical exhaustion.”

“I see.” The Elezen stood slowly, moving gingerly as if stiff from sitting in place for so long. Next to his stolen Sky Armor was his bedroll and he was ready to let the poorly-disguised machine keep the sun out of his eyes as he slept through the day. “You just do that then, I’m going to get at least a nap in. This new body doesn’t afford me the same luxury, I’m surprised I didn’t doze off while we spoke.”

“Maybe I’m just that charming, you couldn’t sleep because you wanted to talk to me so badly.”

The bitter silence stung as much as the rock Zenos threw at him for the joke.

“I didn’t deserve that.” Hero pouted softly and glanced at his chocobo’s saddlebag, pulling his own bedroll out and putting out the fire that had started to burn down between them. “Wake me when you wanna get moving, I’ll take you to the Goblet and we can work on step two. Deal?” After a minute of no response Hero stood to go check on the other man, finding him already sleeping peacefully. “Well at least he trusts me enough to sleep around me. I’ll tease him for it later.” The Miqo’te slipped back into his bedroll with a smile on his lips. This time would be different.

This time he wouldn’t have to watch another loved one die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has officially become a slow burn fic and I'm so sorry.


	4. Meeting The Crew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So it’s like a date, yeah?” Jacque chuckles softly, “Sounds par for you, meet a guy, take him out to the wilds of an untamed land where you can be yourself without anyone else getting in the way.”
> 
> “It’s not a date! We’re friends. I’m his friend.” His first friend. “That’s all we are, stop trying to make it something it isn’t.”
> 
> Or
> 
> Zenos gets to meet Hero's staff at the Flying Chocobo Bakery and Tea House.

“Boss we need to discuss your Elezen fetish.” Jacque had worked for Hero since his first attempt at a restaurant. Back when it was staffed by displaced citizens of Ishgard who were trying to get their lives back together after the war. Unlike the rest of his workers, Jacque had stayed out of some odd amount of mutual trust and it had earned him the title of Assistant Manager. This meant that the crimson-eyed Elezen was in charge when Hero was gone, it also meant he felt comfortable enough in his job to sass his employer when he thought Hero was being stupid.

“It isn’t a fetish, I just like taller men. Do you have anything that’ll fit him or not?” They’d arrived shortly after the breakfast rush, slowed down by Hero’s curiosity when they walked through the North Shroud. He’d made Zenos stop by the Hawthorn Hut to try and attune to the Aetheryte there- and it had been a moderate success. The trip back home had involved stopping at every Aetheryte between the North Shroud and the Goblet to let Zenos attune to them using the Resonant.

“He’s taller than me by half-a-head but I can help him find something in his size yeah.” The chef regarded the man before him with suspicion as he circled him twice before snapping his fingers. “H’melli!” He shouted up the stairs towards the hostess- Hero’s own cousin H’melli. Since she only worked the front counter she’d usually be the one to fetch things. While she was out Mimiqa would emerge from the back office to stop working finances and take over as hostess.

“’M not runnin’ errands for ya now! M’knee is aching from breakfast rush Jack!” The seeker girl called back without skipping a beat, she had been a huntress for the H-tribe before an injury during the Garlean occupation had left her with a damaged knee. Some days were better than others, and Hero knew if she was in pain he had no other options.

“Okay, just… Fine. Zee-” Shit, name, new name quick. “Zechort. Sit down for a bit, I’m going to make us something for a trip to the Steppe. Ishgardian tailors might be a bit too much of an out of pocket expense right now and I honestly think you’d like the Xaela tribes...”

Jacque snorted a bit as Hero tried to escape into the back room, grabbing the Miqo’te by the collar and pulling him back. “Alright boss, spill, you’re acting dodgy and I need to know if we’re going to get raided because you stole something from someone important. What’s the foundation of trust again?”

Like an admonished cat his ears and tail drooped with his sagging shoulders, Hero’s head slumped to the side even as he let out a soft groan. “Being open and honest with all parties involved, I know, I just feel like the less you know the safer it is? You can’t have information tortured out of you if you don’t know it.”

“Zechort, if that’s your real name, what are the odds torture and interrogation would be involved with Hero bringing you here?”

“Knowing the Alliance? Little to none, I don’t believe they have the stones for it.” Zenos snorted a bit, arching an eyebrow at Hero. “You’re all citizens of Eorzea, correct? Then there is no risk to any of you.”

“Well then. Boss? You’re giving me the guilty cat sulk. Out with it.” The crimson eyed chef stared down the Miqo’te until Hero broke, sighing heavily.

“Jacque, meet Zenos yae Galvus, the crown prince of Garlemald.”

“Isn’t he supposed to have a third eye and shorter ears?”

“He is right here and would prefer if you spoke to him instead of about him.” Zenos couldn’t hide the sneer on his face, an ugly scowl darkening his features to match his mood. He’d grown up hating being talked about as if he weren’t in the room, that hadn’t changed in adulthood.

“Fine then.” Jacque let Hero go to place the hand on his hip, looking Zenos in the eye with the bravery of someone who didn’t know what they were dealing with. “Aren’t you missing a third eye? Aren’t your ears a bit long to be a pure blooded Garlean?”

“What would you know of Garleans?” He couldn’t help but bite back, only keeping his sword sheathed out of respect for Hero.

“I know the waitress who works mornings is one, that she’s a sweet ray of sunshine and rainbows that’s running from her past like all of us are, and that she hides who she is with a little tiara. I don’t see you wearing a tiara though, so what are you running from that’s brought you here? Why would the crown prince of Garlemald be slumming it in a little tea shop in Thanalan?”

“Because if the Warrior of Light is to be believed, there is an Ascian possessing my body and in the meantime I’ve woken up in this one.” The words come through gritted teeth, bitter and cold.

“Oh, so save-the-star level stuff. Good to know.” Jacque immediately turns on Hero, “See now boss, was that so hard? He can tell the truth, why can’t you? Dumb cat…” The Elezen walks towards the bookshelf behind Hero and Zenos and pulls on a book, opening up a small side room. “Alright we’ve got spare uniforms, but they’re suits ‘cause they’re for waitstaff… Nah wait! I found the Hingan-style stuff back from when we were a sushi shop! It’s tailored to fit an Au Ra but I think we can use it for him.” He tosses the outfit at Hero with a grin. “There we go boss, Zenos yeah? You can change in the bathroom, I’ll send Nikuyo upstairs to fetch your draft chocobo from the stable.”

“Why the draft chocobo?” Hero slowly handed the clothes off to Zenos so he could change out of the Resistance uniform and into something a bit better to blend in with.

“So when you get to the Steppe you both can ride around on one bird to save time. Leave the hunk of junk here- we’ll hide it somewhere so no one knows you’re hiding a crown prince from his enemies.” Jacque waves dismissively as he heads back into the kitchen. “If anyone’s looking for you? We’ll tell them you’re off in Moghome trying to flirt with a dragon or three. No one will question it.”

“Wait, or three? The fuck do you mean no one will question it?” Hero’s cheeks grew red and hot as he stared at the kitchen door frame. “Jacque!”

“I mean you’ve got a reputation in Ishgard for bad life choices, heretical activity, and being willing to flirt with anyone after the second glass of wine. If I hint that the warrior of light is a dragonfucker… I’m just saying not a soul would question it.” 

Usually this kind of banter would have Hero fighting back, instead the Miqo’te was blushing furiously, the pink of his cheeks highlighting the smattering of freckles across his face. Usually Hero would fire back and give as good as he got. Today he tried to hide from it, looking at the door Zenos had stepped through in order to change in privacy. “Jacque don’t say that.”

“Melli stop the presses! Your cousin knows what shame feels like!”

“Yer kiddin’ me!” She’s down the stairs in seconds, bad knee or not, the pain was worth it to see Hero actually flustered. “You! Shame?! Nah! Say it ain’t so! Aunt Maye’d never let ya live it down!”

“You two cut it out! I just-” He glanced back at the door again, “Listen. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. Zenos and I need some time to just- you know, figure out what we’re doing next. I figure that we can both kinda work it out in the Steppe. Far- far removed from Ala Mhigo and the front lines of this dumb conflict you know?”

“So it’s like a date, yeah?” Jacque chuckles softly, “Sounds par for you, meet a guy, take him out to the wilds of an untamed land where you can be yourself without anyone else getting in the way.”

“It’s not a date! We’re friends. I’m his friend.” His first friend. “That’s all we are, stop trying to make it something it isn’t.”

“Nah I get it boss, you’re right, we’re being harsh on you because we care about you. As long as you know what you’re doing alright? When he’s done changing you two can sit down and just relax over a cup of tea and a scone or two, any idea how you plan to get over to Kugane so you can take him to the Steppe?”

“No, yes? Maybe. I have an option but it’s a bad one… Take a ship? I’m pretty sure if I pay Lolorito enough he’ll look the other way. He owes me for saving his Niece’s life once anyway.”

“You’re right boss, that’s a bad idea if I’ve ever heard one. Any others?”

“Fly the chocobo the entire way?”

“You’d never make it.”

“Bribe a pirate?”

“You did that once already, didn’t you? That worked right?”

“Yeah but it took forever. Um- oh! Airship travel! I could ask the  Ehcatl Nine if they think the ship would be able to stand over-sea travel! It made it up to Azys Lla, maybe it’d make it to Kugane!” Hero knew it’d be dangerous but it seemed like the fastest option so far.

“If you want for air travel, Hero, we could simply sneak into a local castrum and commandeer an airship. I know how to pilot one, it was part of my martial training.” Zenos stepped out from the bathroom changed into his temporary outfit. “Obviously I’d rather be in the Resistance uniform if we were to fight our way through, but if you know a better way?”

“Yeah, there’s a Castrum in Mor Dhona that’s pretty easy to sneak through if you know the guard pattern and I do, if we really need to I can dust off a stolen uniform and just salute my way through.”

“I- excuse me? There’s no way that would ever work! The Empire is-”

“Zenos I’ve done it three times. One of them was in Doma. Step one, steal a uniform from an incapacitated guard. Step two, salute.” For emphasis he gave the Imperial salute to Zenos, as smoothly as if he’d had it drilled into him. “Step three? Cause trouble. The Empire needs to learn how to use visors that don’t hide half your face so you can’t just pretend to be someone else and spy on their operations.”

Hero would have felt worse about cutting Zenos off if his offended splutter and the way he crossed his arms over his chest as he sulked wasn’t kinda cute. “I’m going to propose uniform and protocol changes when I have my body back.”

“You do that Z.” Hero grins and pulls a chair out for his friend before sitting down himself. “Okay so, let’s discuss strategy if we’re going to be sneaking through a Castrum to steal an airship.” 

It took three pots of tea, one shepard’s pie, and a dozen scones for the pair to hammer out a plan as Jacque and Melli occasionally piped in with ideas and options. Before night had fallen and Melli fled upstairs to switch the sign from open to closed, they’d gotten a loose plan squared away. 

Hero would cause a disturbance at the gates leading to the marsh outside Mor Dhona, drawing attention to himself as all hands prepared to fend off an attack from the warrior of light. In the meantime Zenos would sneak in from the other entrance by Northern Thanalan to make his way to the airfield. Hero would give up his attack and retreat due to overwhelming numbers, then circle back around through Thanalan in his stolen Garlean uniform and salute his way to the airfield pretending to be taking over for the patrol. They’d get on the ship together and fly to a remote island in the Ruby Sea, then take his Draft Chocobo to the Steppe.

“This feels complicated and how are we going to get your chocobo onto the airship?”

“Who, Sassy? Simple, Sassy can fly. I’ll whistle for her just before we get on the ship and she’ll ride with us the way there.”

“I suppose that’s the best we can do for now. If anything goes wrong we improvise.” He slowly runs his fingers over the binding on his blade’s handle.

“You are way too keen on doing things the bloody way. Stealth first- violence only if stealth fails.” Hero couldn’t help but chide, he knew part of it was simply Zenos wanting to make sure things went without a hitch but… Hero had a good feeling about this plan. “Alright, we can’t sleep here at the shop, but I do have a friend’s place we can spend the night at. They run a free company down the street and keep a guest room furnished with like three bunk beds and hot tub. We can relax there and set out in the morning, no questions asked. Ready?” Hero offered Zenos his hand, the same way as before, palm up and open to the taller man.

“I believe I am.” This time Zenos took it without hesitation, letting Hero help him up and out of his chair. “I do hope you have a plan for how we’re getting back, however.”

“I’ll teach you how to teleport once we’ve attuned to the Aetheryte at the Dawn Throne. Man I can’t wait to see Magnai and Daidukul again! I’ll tell them all about everything I’ve done since they helped us break into the Castle and…” He kept chattering as they walked, happy to fill Zenos’ silence with his voice, and encouraged by the slight smile on the prince’s face as he spoke. Already they were shaping up to be a decent team.

For the first time since the incident at the Vault, Hero felt perfectly happy.

For once he wasn’t wondering when it would all go wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! You didn't get to see everyone, but I've got the rough write ups for all of Hero's (Housing NPCs) workers at the Flying Chocobo Bakery and Tea House!
> 
> Jacque Zuicine (Male Wildwood Elezen) - Ishgardian Chef from the Brume, Hero gave him the job after his Echo saved him from being put on trial for poisoning his former boss' food with cyanide. Current Assistant Manager and Head Chef. Ironically enough, he loves marzipan.
> 
> H'melli Mezzi (Female Seeker Miqo'te) - Hero's cousin, has a knee injury that keeps her from being a huntress. Idolizes her aunt H'maye and took the job in part to send letters back to her about how Hero is doing because he doesn't do it himself. Likes Sushi.
> 
> Mimiqa Miqa (Female Dunesfolk Lalafell) - Hiding from her arranged marriage until she's able to prove to her father that she's got a mind for numbers and the ability to run his buisness without needing a spouse to do it for her. Favorite tea: Ginger lemongrass with a hint of mint.
> 
> Bhaldwyda (Female Sea Wolf Roegadyn) - Wanted a job at the Bismark but wasn't cut out for cooking. When Hero went to Guolskyf about needing employees for his bakery she volunteered to study under an actual award winning chef. Will eat anything chocolate put in front of her.
> 
> Nikuyo Musa (Female Raen Au Ra) - Inspired by Princess Kurenai she left home to visit Tamamizu so she could study other cultures. Based on a suggestion from the Princess she has traveled to the surface under Hero's care and is in awe of the world above the waves. Has a small crush on Jacque. Loves the candies he's brought her from Ishgard.
> 
> As well as a small cameo/mention of a friend's character! The runaway Garlean cinnabun Yolanda Julius!


	5. Traveling Woes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You have magic, yes? Heal yourself.”
> 
> “Easy for you to say, Garleans can’t do magic, what makes you think conjury is so easy to do?”
> 
> or
> 
> In which Hero and Zenos find new ways to put their respective feet in their mouths

He should have been wondering how it would all go wrong. It might have saved them a lot of hassle. Typically Hero’s outfit was meant to draw the image of a dashing rogue. His hat was wide brimmed and had a gilded feather sticking from the band, his shirt had the top three buttons undone with a single red rose pinned to the front and a black silk half-cape attached to his shoulders. Another strip of black silk was wrapped around his hip in the facsimile of a belt and set off the leather of his trousers rather well if he did say so himself. Finally, a pair of boots he’d gotten from Guydelot and Sanson for helping them uncover the truth behind the Gridanian - Ala Mhigan war; black, heeled and knee high with a single white wing on each ankle. Hero thought he cut a dashing figure in the outfit.

The bullets of the soldiers he had antagonized before flying after Zenos’ stolen ship seemed to feel otherwise and would rather rip his shirt and hat to shreds than allow him to continue on as such. “Get on the ship- get on the ship- get on the- oh Gods!” Sassy landed hard inside the cabin, chocobo unable to stop her momentum on the metal floor as her talons failed to find purchase. The end result was bird and rider slamming roughly against a wall as the ramp folded up behind them, Sassy barely being able to shift so only her side hit instead of taking the blow head-on.

“Is your chocobo alright?” Zenos wasn’t surprised Hero had managed to get himself injured, he’d started to understand exactly how much of a disaster the warrior of light was after realizing Hero needed guidance from a teenaged Elezen to function. No, he had no sympathy for the Miqo’te, but all the pity in the world for the bird meant to ferry them from the Ruby Sea to the Steppe. The tension in his shoulders relaxed as the bird responded with a chipper ‘kweh’.

Her owner on the other hand, groaned softly. “I’m fine too, thanks for asking.”

“I didn’t.”

“I noticed.” Hero slid off Sassy’s back gingerly, “Fuck- I think this was the leg I injured falling with Maggie.” His back hit the wall as he steadied himself to assess the damage, keeping weight off the leg for the moment. As he tried putting weight on it, a string of colorful curses slipped between clenched teeth.

Watching his beast limp like a wounded dog was not on Zenos’ list of ways he wanted to spend the trip, so without a word the prince scooped Hero up in order to deposit him onto a chair. “You have magic, yes? Heal yourself.”

“Easy for you to say, Garleans can’t do magic, what makes you think conjury is so easy to do?” Pain sharpened the words far beyond what Hero had intended, but he got the desired effect. Zenos’ nostrils flared a bit as he looked down at the cat, head held high for the sake of gazing at Hero as if he were a blemish on an otherwise perfect world.

“Mayhap the fact that I can’t imagine how you’re able to function if you aren’t cheating with potions and magical aid has something to do with it. If you’ll recall I was in control of a primal you struck down, I saw you using conjury to keep yourself alive through fire, ice, wind, earth, water, and lightning. Do not tell me that the aetherial arts are too complicated to use to mend yourself outside of combat.” The words hissed out like a snake ready to strike, all the tension back in Zenos’ shoulders again. Hero had been the one to make him feel again, and the gambit of emotions he had now may not be worth the price. Anger, passion, indignance, even offense.

Zenos couldn’t remember the last time anyone had truly offended him.

“Go on then, say something. Where’s your bardic wit, your charming retort? Do you have no words? Have I finally managed to silence you?”

Hero’s eyes had hit the ground the moment Zenos brought up Shinryu, they closed as the Garlean turned Elezen listed off each element in succession. This tirade sounded like it was meant for someone else, or a continuation of an argument he’d had before. Zenos felt so strongly about magic that mentioning the deficiency set him off? Suddenly it clicked, Zenos couldn’t manipulate his own aether but he managed to manipulate the aether stored in his magicked blades, the Resonance project had another purpose. “Is that why you developed the Resonance? So you could use magic as a Garlean?” The silence that fell between them was so tangible Hero was certain if Zenos drew his blade the air itself would bleed.

When Zenos’ wide eyes turned into an empty gaze, the prince turning his back on the injured Miqo’te and walking away from Hero with heavy steps, all Hero could feel was guilt. Each step dropped the temperature in the room until Hero shivered, even though the only ice he’d seen was the blue of Zenos’ eyes. He wanted to apologize immediately but the words stuck in his throat until the door to the bridge shut behind Zenos. He hadn’t even realized he’d forgotten to breathe until the metal screeched shut. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled softly, just a moment too late.

Hero’s staff came out as he began methodically fixing his leg, ears drooped to his skull, tail hanging limply off the chair while he cast. They still had a long flight ahead of them, certainly Zenos couldn’t ignore him the whole time.

* * *

 

Half the trip had passed before Zenos even dared to enter the same room as Hero, even then, it was only because he was hungry and the mess hall onboard was not equipped for baking. He’d hoped that Hero wouldn’t be in there, that the Miqo’te would be exploring the ship looking for Garlean secrets to report back to the Scions or some nonsense. As it turned out, Hero was in the kitchen, and whatever he was making drove his mouth to water from scent alone.

That would be fine, being in the same room as Hero didn’t mean he had to speak with him. He could just grab something quick to eat- there had to be rations around here somewhere- and be on his way.

“I made meat and cheese stuffed popovers and garlic-butter broccoli.”

Damn that cat. Damn him to whatever level of hell Eorzeans feared the most. The question was out of his mouth before he could stop himself, “How? These kitchens weren’t built for baking- they were barely built for small batch meals. The rations here are supposed to be basic and just enough to sustain the soldiers for a single trip.”

“I carry a collapsible stove on me and some crystal shards to use for cooking.” He paused for a moment, eyes cast downwards as if reminding himself that if Garleans couldn’t utilize their aether, odds were they couldn’t cook the way Hero did. “Here, it’s easier if I show you.” He pulled the stove back out of his bag, showing Zenos how he manipulated the shards to perform basic tasks anyone with a proper kitchen wouldn’t even have to think of otherwise. “You’re right, magic is so ingrained in Eorzean culture that we barely even think about how much we rely on it. I didn’t realize you wouldn’t know how much effort goes into something like conjury as opposed to just making a meal because it probably all looks easy to you.”

“Even in a body that allows for magical arts, I still have no clue how to do what you can in the midst of battle.” It wasn’t a concession of his point, but hopefully it would be enough to make the cat act less like a kicked dog.

“I could show you. When we get to the Steppe I’ll see if I can trade for a starter cane in Reunion- your Resonant is basically my Echo with some different effects, right?” Hero smiled up at him finally, after avoiding his eye since Zenos walked into the kitchen, the Miqo’te was finally looking up at him again and things seemed more settled. As if there had been a darkness and it was slowly fading. Not quite gone yet, but fading. “You’re also in an Elezen body, odds are you can use magic a bit more readily now.”

Zenos already knew he could, but he didn’t bother to say it. Hero had seen him use some of his old sword techniques without needing either a blade with it’s own aether or crystal shards in his palms. “I do enjoy studying new fighting styles, I suppose learning from an experienced conjurer would be an experience.” The laughter that followed made the tips of his ears feel warm and mentally he forced himself to quash the embarrassment before it became a full blush. “You are a conjurer are you not? Why are you laughing?”

“Because I’m not just a conjurer, Zenos. I’m a fully fledged White Mage, I have a Padjal’s Soul Gem and everything.”

“A soul gem?” He’d heard tales of such things, the memories of a master passed on to a student, a way to keep techniques alive.

“I have several, it’s why I’ve got so many skill sets I can pull from. It’s why I was able to fight you when you joined with Shinryu. Paladin, Dark Knight, White Mage, Machinist, Ninja, Samurai, and Bard. Each one a role I took on, a job I learned for a reason. I just prefer Bard and White Mage, they feel the most comfortable to me. Like putting on a pair of broken-in shoes instead of wearing ones you hardly use.”

“I see. I don’t suppose I could borrow one of those gems for myself, could I?”

For a moment the cat fell silent as if considering him for the first time. When Hero finally opened his mouth again, it was with a tilt of his head and an apologetic smile, “I have no idea what you’d be like if you added my Samurai Soul Gem to your own natural skill, but I don’t know if I want to find out. Let’s start with teaching you conjury first and we’ll go from there.”

“Selfish cat.”

“Listen, you have no idea the bullshit I have gone through to earn these gems. I’ve put in the work, I’m not giving you the reward because you fucking asked nicely.”

Whatever had conspired between them before faded away, Zenos sat down with his meal as Hero started cleaning up after himself. By the time he made it back to the controls to make sure the autopilot was taking them to the coordinates Hero had shown him on the map of the Ruby Sea, they only had a few hours left. Long enough for him to sit and meditate on the writhing mass of emotions stewing in the back of his mind.

His enemy, his friend. The savior of savages, this Hero of Eorzea- he had to hold back a chuckle knowing if the Miqo’te was able to read minds he’d be furious at the little joke. A smile, Hero brought a genuine smile to his lips. Not because of the promise of combat or thrill of battle, but because he could perfectly imagine the cat’s ears and tail stiffening, fur puffing out as his cheeks flushed red behind his freckles. The indignant sputtering, the sharp inhale as his shoulders rose in an attempt to look bigger and more threatening despite his small stature. Zenos could see the response clearly in his mind’s eye and it made him smile.

Perhaps that was why Hero offered out a hand in friendship. He’d gotten glimpses of it through the Resonant while changing in the restroom, moments where Hero had offered his hand to someone in need the same way he had to Zenos. Whispers of assurances and warm smiles. 

He saw the first time Hero and Jacque had met in Ishgard, a man being dragged out of a noble house trying to beg and plead with the authorities that he had no idea who poisoned his master. He saw Hero stop them, voice strong with authority as he asked the knights what the charges were- slipping cyanide poison into an almond pastry- and how the knights panicked when Hero swooned and fell to a knee on the streets before them.

Then how he rose and told them the culprit was none other than the mistress of the house, and the man they held was innocent. “I believe you, what’s your name?”

“Jacque Zuicine.”

“How well do you know your way around a kitchen, Jacque? My head chef has been complaining about needing help for a week and we’re short staffed right now.”

The Miqo’te offered himself to anyone who needed him. Something inside him whispered that Hero wouldn’t be there if Zenos didn’t need him. That Hero wouldn’t have mourned him if he didn’t need Zenos too. The only question he had was what Hero needed of him, and why bother playing nice instead of just being direct? No one simply wanted to be friends with a monster, but what motivated the cat? Money, his throne, his lands, a chance to sue for peace? There had to be something. One does not rub elbows with a crown prince casually.

Eventually Hero’s true intentions would rear their ugly head, and when they did? He’d be ready to strike the cat down once and for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, look at this entirely unplanned chapter that I wasn't expecting to do but I started out with the description of Hero getting injured boarding the airship and their argument and make-up just spiraled out of control. Now with more focus on Zenos' inner battle against feeling feelings. I hope I already tagged this idiots to lovers because I'll be honest, they're both idiots right now.


	6. Reaching the Steppe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You have no sense of self-preservation, and I’m starting to wonder how you ever became the Eikon Slayer.”
> 
> “I became the Eikon Slayer because I have no sense of self-preservation. What type of normal person looks someone’s god in the eyes and thinks yeah I can fight that. I can win too. Pretty sure we’ve had this conversation already.”
> 
> “Not with me you haven’t.” There, back in control. Problem solved. It was easier to be annoyed with Hero. Annoyance was an emotion he could handle.
> 
> Or:
> 
> Zenos and Hero start to meet the tribes of the Steppe and it finally sinks in for Zenos that the Warrior of Light is a disaster.

Finally making it to the Steppe felt like waking up after a long dream. The Vault left Hero damaged and heartbroken, full of rage that he used to fuel himself until Thordan was dead at his feet. “I’m sorry for your loss.” He had whispered to Aymeric shortly before boarding Cid’s ship to head to Azys Lla.

“For my loss? I’m not the one who lost someone dear to them.” In that moment Hero understood Aymeric knew about his love for the silver haired knight.

“Because when I came to Ishgard I did not intend to leave you an Orphan, Aym. I am sorry for your loss.” He knew the words chilled Aymeric, the edge to his usually cheerful voice had even scared himself a bit. Still, he got his vengeance, and it left him empty. Empty when he found the scions one by one, empty when he fought, and slaved, and served, and did everything he could to keep from losing anymore friends.

Empty when he failed.

Empty when Minfilia left them.

Empty when Papalymo died.

Empty until Rhalgar’s Reach.

Zenos beat him, for the first time in what felt like ages he was faced with his own mortality. He was looking his death in the eyes, and was judged undeserving. He had lost so much he hadn’t deserved to die in battle.

The hole inside him filled with anger. For the first time in months he felt something- rage.

Zenos had attacked him where it hurt the most, his pride. Calling the Miqo’te pathetic as Hero knelt at his feet before turning away. Hero had not gone into that fight expecting a challenge, by the time he realized Zenos was not his average over confident opponent it was too late. He was wounded and beaten. Zenos lit a fire in him that was unquenchable, he burned with fury and indignance until they crossed blades a second time. This time Hero was ready- and it wasn’t enough. He gave his everything and fell again, but this time Zenos saw the fire in him. The fact that Hero sought him out to try and reclaim his pride.

The speech he gave was the most oddly motivational thing Hero had ever heard.  _ Live. For the moment between seconds, live. _ So he had, he walked into the Steppe prepared to grow stronger until he could win. Until he could face Zenos in battle and see the tall proud Garlean on his knees. Zenos put the blade to the flame, the Steppe quenched the metal to strengthen it. Out here Hero wasn’t the Warrior of Light, he wasn’t anyone special, he was just another warrior of the steppe. If he’d been born Xaela Hero would have been home here, instead he was a Miqo’te who had found yet another place to call home.

Bringing Zenos here felt like introducing a friend to his family, even though he was an outsider himself, Hero was still Khagan until the next Naadam. As far as he was concerned, it was just another title to ignore. Something impressive to say, but in practice? All it meant was responsibility, and in a few months he wouldn’t even be Khagan anymore. Unless they insisted he participate, in which case…

Fuck he’d be doing this the rest of his probably short life.

That wasn’t important right now. Hero grinned back at the Elezen sharing Sassy’s back with him. “Okay! Welcome to the Azim Steppe, this is where I went after we fought our second time, it’s how Hien and I managed to pull together an army in such a short amount of time.”

“You tamed the Xaela of the Steppe?”

“Oh no; no, no, no. Oh fuck no. Y’see there’s this thing called the Naadam.” Why not tell him the whole story, oddly enough? He trusted Zenos with the information. “It was the hardest fight I’ve had my life- Sadu is insane for starters, I swear to all twelve gods she’s functionally immortal because fuck if I can put her down longer than ten seconds. The last time we fought I barely managed to stop her from dropping a meteor on my head! Then there’s Magnai’s ego, don’t get me started.”

“If you do not wish to talk about it, then why not focus on our objectives? You said you would teach me conjury, did you not?” Hero paused and looked at Zenos as if he’d sprouted a second head, shit, he remembered that. “Or were you lying to me?”

“Not lying, just kinda slipped my mind.” Now he was lying. Which is why he maintained eye contact instead of looking away, trying to smooth things over with charm.

“You wouldn’t last a day in Garlean politics.” Zenos snorted and shook his head, which Hero considered a win anyway. “What will I need to try and make use of this body’s aether?”

“A cane or crook, all natural materials, preferably wood. Well-treated wood seems to channel the forces of earth, water, and wind better than anything else. A good cane is little more than a blessed tree branch to be honest. We’ll buy one here in Reunion and then I’ll take you to the Dawn Throne.”

“Is that where the ruling tribe is?”

“Not exactly? The Oronir and Buduga tribes both live there, but currently the Mol are in charge.” He wove through the stalls of Reunion, trying to remember which of the various vendors had the best weapon prices. Wood was rare out here on the Steppe, making a good cane that much more expensive. If he wasn’t bad at carpentry Hero would just by the materials and make one himself but of course he couldn’t be skilled at everything.

“Then why are we going to the Dawn Throne?”

“I feel like you’d fit in better there? If I hadn’t fought for the Mol on Hien’s behest I probably would have joined the Oronir or the Buduga. The Mol are a more pacifist-leaning tribe, usually they stay out of fights like the Naadam, but their Gods declared last year that they would fight- before I showed up mind you. Of course, first I needed to pass a trial to become an official warrior of the Steppe and that was honestly pretty fun.” He paused and considered for a moment.

Zenos made a good point, last time he came the only reason he’d wound up having to kiss Magnai’s most radiant ass was because the Oronir had won the Naadam a year prior. If he wanted Zenos to fight by his side as a Warrior of the Steppe, they’d need to ask the Mol permission to go through Bardam’s Mettle first. It would also provide a good chance for Zenos to practice conjury.

“You know what, you’re right. Let’s go visit the Mol first.”

* * *

 

Hero had bought him a cane and some robes instead of his light armor. The quality of the fabric was good enough, but the robes were made to fit an adult male Xaela and not an Elezen. Which meant they barely fit at all. The cane though, he couldn’t understand how something made of wood could channel so much power. It was nothing like the metals and mechanima he was used to working with. Still, Hero had appraised them with a careful eye and even promised to ask someone in the Mol to help adjust the outfit for him.

In the meantime he chose to ask Hero more about the Naadam itself, which was turning out to be a mistake. Although Hero did try to make the story entertaining for the flight, it turned out to explain more about why he didn’t want to discuss the Oronir Khan. Namely, how he captured the Miqo’te and his companions to press them into pledging fealty to him.

They were flying into Mol Iloh by the time Hero finished ranting about the whole ordeal. “So then I take it we’ll be avoiding the Dotharl and the Oronir at all costs then?” The way Hero spoke about them almost lit a spark of jealousy, when the Miqo’te spoke of fighting Sadu and Magnai he came alive. Something surged through his beast and he became a flurry of wide gestures and manic smiles.

“Avoiding them? What- no! They’re my friends! I want to introduce you to them too.”

“Hero you just told me they’ve both tried to kill you.”

“So did you, and look where we are.” To Hero it was his usual shit-eating grin, all teeth, freckles and bright blue eyes, a genuine smile that he hadn’t worn in ages.

To Zenos it was an arrow through the heart, just as painful as it was endearing. Was it flattering that Hero didn’t treat him any differently from others? The emotions he felt sickened him more than the awkward ride on the draft chocobo. So he ignored them, just like his youth. They were unbecoming of a prince; princes didn’t get jealous over savages and their wild hearts. Inhale through the mouth, exhale through the nose. “You have no sense of self-preservation, and I’m starting to wonder how you ever became the Eikon Slayer.”

“I became the Eikon Slayer because I have no sense of self-preservation. What type of normal person looks someone’s god in the eyes and thinks yeah I can fight that. I can win too. Pretty sure we’ve had this conversation already.”

“Not with me you haven’t.” There, back in control. Problem solved. It was easier to be annoyed with Hero. Annoyance was an emotion he could handle. “Are you sure it’s alright that I’m here with you?”

“Trust me, if anything Cirina’s already got a pot of tea brewing for us both. The Mol are guided in their daily lives by their Gods and are surprisingly good at knowing exactly what is to come. They predicted our triumph in the Naadam even though they usually don’t participate at all.” Zenos’ education did not include the Xaela of the Steppe, he knew nothing about the differences between the tribes or their beliefs.

That did not mean he wished to remain ignorant. Knowledge was a form of power on it’s own, and he had ever been a model student. Devouring books like most children would sweets, savoring the lessons of history as one would a three course dinner. Knowing less on a subject than someone else was a rare moment for him, and Hero sounded like he’d studied the culture of the various tribes personally. It made him hunger for more.

“Tell me more.”

“Ah- well we’re here, why don’t you let me do the talking and you can listen? Here, the Khan’s- the Tribe Leader mind you- her yurt is this way.” Of course Hero was in no hurry, where Zenos wanted to just go inside and get done with the task so they could move one, the Miqo’te walked slowly to their destination. Stopping frequently too. The first time to leave his draft chocobo with the Falcon Porter to be taken care of, then again, and again, and again to greet every single Tribe member they passed. He never used their names, but he knew them. How is your leg? How are your children? Is that the newborn he’s grown so big! How was the wedding? Are you settling into the new tribe well? Zenos was starting to understand why Hero was so bad with names.

Because he made it a point to try and know everyone. Instead of names he used nicknames, mnemonics to help him remember everyone around. Trivial knowledge, nothing important. Hero was a wealth of useless information. “Hero. The Khan.”

“Right- right- take care!” Hero bowed to the group he’d been talking to and finally stopped greeting with more than common pleasantries, so they could make their way to the large yurt in the center of the camp. “Okay so Cirina is going to be the sweet girl in pink, her Grandmother is the tribe’s Khan and is super pleasant to talk to. I’m just checking in with them about us going through the Mettle and then we can officially call you a Warrior of the Steppe! Okay? Okay.”

This plan kept getting more and more complicated, weren’t they out here to relax? Of course, Hero was still a beast at heart, his idea of relaxation was fighting.

At least they agreed on something. “You do plan on teaching me conjury at minimum, right?”

“I figured we could do that in the Mettle. You could practice while we fight our way through.”

“My apologies, it sounds like you expect a man who has never before been able to manipulate aether in his life to simply pick up a cane and begin to heal you while battling monsters for his life in a trial to test his worth as a warrior.”

“You know, it sounds pretty bad when you put it like that.” Zenos wasn’t going to fall for that pitiful pout again, those big blue eyes, the droop in his ears like a pet that was being punished for chewing on his master’s slippers. Oh no, not this time. He was growing wise to how the Miqo’te manipulated people around him with words and over-expressing his emotions.

“Because that is exactly what you are doing, Hero, do not give me that face. That is not how one trains in a new discipline.”

“That’s how I learned. They gave me a cane, told me how to fling rocks and cast cure, then set me out to fight every monster I saw in a hundred-fulm radius.” That was it, that was his secret. He wasn’t trained at all, he simply brute forced his way into learning how to slay gods with no actual schooling. If Zenos wasn’t angry enough to storm back to Eorzea to throttle all of Hero’s teachers he’d laugh. No wonder the Eikon Slayer had been so weak to him their first fight.

He was never trained. It was all natural talent. Natural savage talent. He’d never cared much for conquest, but in this moment Zenos wanted nothing more than to burn Eorzea to the ground and salt the ashes for good measure. “You have no idea how to actually train someone, do you? No wonder you keep putting it off.” Getting angry would do no good here, why ever would he expect savages to have actual training for their adventurers. Why bother? If one dies, another three apply to take their place. Schooling required organization and focus.

“No I don’t. Sorry? I know you want to learn but I have no idea how to teach you. I shouldn’t have even offered because the best I can do is show you some of the most basic spells and explain how to do them, then just kinda let you practice while I…” Hero paused and sighed for a moment, looking up at him with a sort of resigned smile, “While I take the blows for you so you can focus on learning how to channel aether in combat situations. You’re right, starting in a trial like the Mettle is a bad idea, but there’s some monsters nearby we could practice with?”

“I’ll change back into my armor, if I am going to be recognized as a warrior of the steppe, I want to do the challenge as something I am familiar with. Afterwards, you can teach me how to heal. Mayhap you should heal while I fight? I can try to observe your magics and practice them myself later.”

“That sounds like a plan.” Hero holds open the door to the yurt for Zenos before stepping through himself. “Hey, sorry for the short notice, I was in the area with a friend and decided to drop by?”

“Oh! Hero, the Gods said we would have visitors today, come take a seat. We have much to discuss.” When Hero said she was small and pink he wasn’t kidding, soft pink hair, pink outfit instead of the red he saw everyone else wearing. Auri women always looked so doll-like to him, but of course, everyone looked small in his eyes. Even as an Elezen his height put him at eye-level or above with nearly everyone. The devotion to their Gods was off-putting but he kept his mouth shut for now.

“Thank you Cirina, oh right- meet Zenos. I was going to ask if he would be allowed to run the Mettle with me so we might fight side-by-side in the Naadam.” No one here would know him, and it kept Hero from having to lie and make up a name, fair enough.

“That was actually what we needed to discuss, this year we will not be participating. The Mol had their year, and next year will belong to whomever the Steppe needs most. If you would like to fight on behalf of another tribe, you are welcome to. Since you are not a full member of our tribe but you are still Khagan, we thought it would be best to let you choose if you would like to leave or not.”

Hero’s eyes snapped up in a way Zenos was fairly certain meant the Miqo’te was taken by surprise. “This is not your tribe?”

Cirina shook her head and smiled, “While Lord Hien considers our Tribe his own, he asked Hero to fight on our behalf. There are rituals he would have to do to become a full member of our tribe, and no one ever asked if he wanted to. So I am asking now.”

“I-” Hero froze, looking for all the world like he had no clue how to answer. It was odd seeing the other at a loss for words. His mouth opened but no sound came out. “I don’t want to be rude, the Mol have been kind to me and…” Oh, that was it. Expectations. Hero was a slave of his own making, bowing to the expectations of everyone around him. Eorzea’s pet savior. Their leashed monster. Bile rose up in Zenos’ throat at the thought. Hero was stronger than him and still let other people tell him what to do, how to think.

Who to be.

“Hero, if you decide to choose another tribe, there will be no bad blood between us. I know you do not believe in our Gods, it would be rude of us to expect you to follow our laws without letting you decide for yourself.” Cirina must have seen it too, her gentle voice was soothing and lacking a hint of condescension. A sister talking to a brother as opposed to a mother talking to her child.

“Thank you.” Hero let out a sigh, ears drooping slightly and tail shifting closer. “I think once I’m done taking him through the Mettle, I’ll introduce Zenos to some of my friends in other tribes. Maybe I’ll find a place for myself with one of them.” So much of his time spent on people who were beneath him. His so-called friends. Zenos would have scoffed if he wasn’t trying to feign politeness.

Until Hero smiled back at him, so-called friends. He was one of those friends. Someone Hero was helping just because he felt like it. Because he wanted to help. Despite everything he felt himself smile back. “Shall we go then? It would likely be best to start while it’s still early in the day.”

“Oh- yeah that’s probably for the best.” Hero stood to bow to Cirina. “Take care, and thank you. All of you.” Instead of walking past he offered a hand to help Zenos up, and Zenos took it.

The pair walked out and back to the Falcon Porter without exchanging a word, not until they were in the air and Hero let out a huge sigh of relief. “That went better than I expected. I wasn’t sure they’d let me go like that- or even agree to… Wow. That was more than I could have hoped for.”

“Sounds to me like they realized there was no claim over you to begin with.”

“You’re probably right but I still appreciated it.” Hero’s ears wiggled a bit as they headed west towards the mountains. “Okay! Onwards to adventure, and finally fighting side by side. As friends and confidants, right?”

“Right.” Friends and confidants… He could kick himself for waxing poetic like that during their last battle, it had given the Miqo’te the wrong idea. Still, he could enjoy the moments until their next fight. Until he had his body back.

Until he was Zenos yae Galvus once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on the Tales of the Storm book? Zenos is basically the person who had to sit down and study for hours for a test meeting someone with a picture-perfect memory who read the textbook once and got a 100/100 when they only got a 99. His emotions here? Kinda a cross between "I'm genuinely impressed" and "I want to strangle you and feed your corpse to the worms". 
> 
> We're given a weapon, taught some techniques, and sent out into the wild to slay monsters until we basically figure it out our goddamned selves.
> 
> He had formal tutors drilling him until he finally rose above any and all teachers.
> 
> I'm pretty sure he almost snapped right there.


End file.
